King of the Battlefield

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Wargames Rules: King of the Battlefield King of the Battlefield, written by Ian Godwin, offers an engaging set of eighteenth-century wargames rules designed specifically to reflect the tactical nuances of warfare during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War. The rules place a strong emphasis on grand tactical command, formation control, and the devastating effect of disciplined line infantry fire. The mechanics manage linear tactics and cavalry charges with precision while keeping gameplay fluid and accessible. It serves as an excellent system for refighting historical engagements, allowing players to recreate the complex drill and command friction typical of mid-18th-century battlefields without getting bogged down in overly complex tables. Published by: Ian Godwin What do you think? I would love to hear your opinion on these rules! Do you use them for the Seven Years War? How do you find they handle the 6mm scale? Please leave your thoughts in...
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My Seven Years War Toolkit: Black Powder Rules

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My Seven Years War Toolkit: Black Powder Rules

System: Black Powder (Warlord Games) | Scale: 6mm Baccus

My Seven Years War Toolkit: Black Powder Rules

The Approach: For my Third Silesian War project, Black Powder serves as the foundational engine. Its emphasis on the "spirit of the game" and its flexible command system perfectly capture the friction of 18th-century warfare. However, wargaming is a personal journey, and I have adapted the system to fit the unique aesthetic of 6mm mass-effect battles.

Unit Scaling & Basing (Baccus 6mm)

To achieve the "grand battalion" look on the table, I have generalised my units using the following Baccus figure counts. This ensures a consistent look across the Prussian, Austrian, and Russian forces:

  • Infantry Battalion: 24 figures
  • Cavalry Regiment: 12 figures
  • Army Artillery Battery: 3 guns & 12 figures
  • Regimental Artillery Battery: 2 guns & 8 figures
  • Battalion Artillery Battery: 1 gun & 4 figures
  • Brigade Commander: 2 mounted figures
  • Overall Commander: 3 mounted figures

Why This Works for Me: This scaling allows for a sprawling battle line while remaining manageable for movement and morale tracking. The 3-gun artillery battery, in particular, gives a much better visual representation of a deployed grand battery than a single gun model ever could.

What do you think?

How do you approach unit scaling and basing for 6mm horse and musket wargaming? Do you prefer standard Black Powder basing, or have you customised your figure counts to suit a specific look? Let me know in the comments below!

Related project hubs for this period:
[The Silesian Wars 1740–1763 Project Hub]  |  [The Seven Years War 1756–1763 Project Hub]  |  [The French and Indian War 1754–1763 Project Hub]

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Comments

  1. Richard24/07/2026, 09:36

    That's a sensible approach, Andrew. Your battles should have that nice linear look.
    I know some players place shooting before moving when playing 18th century with BP. Others only allow a unit to shoot if they have moved no more than one action in a turn. I've tried both and they do work. However, it's personal choice.

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    1. Andrew Bruce25/07/2026, 08:32

      Thank you for sharing those thoughts, Richard. Getting that long, sweeping linear footprint is really the heart of this 6mm project! The firing vs. movement debate in Black Powder is always fascinating for the Seven Years' War, and limiting shooting to units that haven't moved more than a single command success is actually the exact house rule I run on my table. It stops units from sprinting three moves across the field and immediately blasting away, forcing players to advance in a measured, historical line if they want to deliver effective fire. It keeps the command friction sharp without adding complex extra rules!

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